One of the achievements of the Municipal Nutrition Council- Santa for the past years is the decreasing numbers of malnutrition in all 3 parameters. Which will ultimately lead to our main goal of 0 malnutrition rate in our locality.
The MNC-Santa through coordination and integrated action can be made possible over a mechanism that will bring sectors of the society together for shared decision making and responsibility on matters related to nutrition improvement.
With the concerted effort of the concerned agencies, there will always be a unity towards implementation the BEST practices of the LGU-Santa.
In the field of MUNICIPAL HEALTH OFFICE, we deliver and promote nutrition-related health programs and interventions to promote desirable nutrition practices and healthy lifestyles, rehabilitates malnourished children and prevents, controls and eliminates micronutrient deficiencies particularly VAD, IDA and IDD, cares for infants and pregnant women and promotes responsible parenthood and integrates nutrition in training.
We have the so called “SANTA CARES” program which we issue guarantee letters to hospital to pay their hospital bills, medical vouchers to buy medicines and other related programs to help ease the burden of our needy citizens.
In the sector of MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURE AND SERVICES OFFICE, we ensure household food security by integrating nutrition considerations in its policies, plans and programs aimed at increasing productivity and real income of farmers and fisher-folks with nutritionally-at-risk areas as priority in targeting interventions for agriculture, which we lately implement the Palay- Procurement Program in partnership with the National Food Authority.
In the MUNICIPAL SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, there are integrated nutrition objectives in its policies, plans and programs that address the total welfare and development of the individual, family and community and advocates funds for supplemental feeding for pre-school children. More so, integrates nutrition education and information in the design of non-formal training program for parents with pre-schoolers and underweight children and for groups of disadvantage women, out of school youth, differently abled persons and older persons and in partnership with the DSWD and DOLE we generate employment, increases labor productivity through the cash for work program.
In the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, we have the Gulayan sa Paaralan and the implementation of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH).
Those are just an example of vast programs we implement to fully realize our aim towards eradicating malnutrition in our municipality.
By: Municipal Nutrition Committee of Santa, Ilocos Sur
